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The Dollmaker
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
The Dollmaker was originally published in 1954 to immediate success and critical acclaim. In unadorned and powerful prose, Harriette Arnow tells the unforgettable and heartbreaking story of the Nevels family and their quest to preserve their deep-rooted values amidst the turmoil of war and industrialization. When Gertie Nevels, a strong and self-reliant matriarch, follows her husband to Detroit from their countryside home in Kentucky, she learns she will have to fight desperately to keep her family together. A sprawling book full of vividly drawn characters and masterful scenes, The Dollmaker is a passionate tribute to a woman's love for her children and the land.
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review
Revenge4bess
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
Mehso-so

Too long by at least 100 pages; too many plots to follow

2 likes1 stack add
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Jess861
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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This book has been on my #tbr list for quite some time. At over 600 pages I'm not sure when I'll get to reading it but I know I must at some point.

#Over500Pages #GratefulReads #HistoricalFiction

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 🙌🏼📚❤️ 5y
29 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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emelendez
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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rubyslippersreads
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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This was not required reading for me, but in AP English, at the end of the semester, we were allowed to write about a book of our choice. This was one that my teacher had never heard of, but added to her TBR list, based on my essay. It‘s heartbreakingly sad, but I think the themes are still relevant today. #requiredreadingredo

Erinsuereads It must have really made an impact on your instructor! That‘s great. Adding to my list. 6y
92 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Jessicareadingwala
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Pickpick

Wonderfully rich and detailed with a heroine that will stay inside my heart and head, giving me counsel and courage, for a long time. a simply beautiful book.

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Jessicareadingwala
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Gertie nodded, puzzled by the woman‘s voice. The words told, but the voice, like the eyes, asked, even when she gave her name.

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Mitch
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Bookstores, for me, are all about wandering and discovering something new to challenge my reading patterns. Found that today with the discovery of this twentieth century novel about the struggle to make ends meet. #newpurchase #suckerforagreatcover #theepic

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GoldenGirl
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
Bailedbailed

I gotta bail on this book, which I hate doing. I like to try to give every book a chance, but this one is just making me fall asleep! Absolutely nothing is happening. Back to the bookshelf!

tpixie Thanks for taking one for the team! 7y
14 likes1 comment
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quirkyreader
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow

I just heard that this wonderful story is going to be a Vintage re-print. Go and find it. It is a forgotten classic and shouldn't be forgotten again. I read it years ago and some parts have stuck with me.

25 likes3 stack adds
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Sace
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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I'm going crazy. Someone mentioned this book yesterday and for the life of me I can't find the post! Anywhooo, I was able to immediately find it on my shelves (no easy task) so that must mean that fate wants me to read it. Spring break is just around the corner!

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shawnmooney
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Yet another so-called classic I'd never heard of - strong reviews here and on Goodreads. I am intrigued!

https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/features/2017/feb/5-reasons-to-read-lost-mast...

Reviewsbylola This is also unknown to me but sounds great! 8y
31 likes1 stack add1 comment
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RealLifeReading
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Reading in the car earlier. It's taken me a while to get into this 1954 classic as I struggled with the Kentucky dialect. It's set in the very rural, very poor Kentucky hills but soon the family will move to Detroit and things will change so much for them. In 1971, Joyce Carol Oates described this novel as "our most unpretentious American masterpiece".

tjwill This is on my TBR because it's one of my mom's favorite books! 8y
Bostonmomx2 Sounds interesting. 8y
Bookworm84 Stick with it. It is intense and very sad, but the memory of the story has stayed with me for many years. Definitely worth the effort. 8y
See All 6 Comments
RealLifeReading @tjwill that's awesome! 8y
RealLifeReading @Bostonmomx2 it is. I'm don't usually pick American classics to read but this one is growing on me (edited) 8y
RealLifeReading @Bookworm84 now that they've moved to Detroit it has become a lot more interesting! 8y
129 likes5 stack adds6 comments
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RealLifeReading
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Busy day yesterday, didn't get much reading done. Took the kids to see Charlotte Diamond, a well-known kids music singer-songwriter (if you have young kids, you might know her songs I Am A Pizza and Slippery Fish!). They had such a great time dancing and singing. The husband & I later went to see Lego Batman. So much fun! It's v rare that we get to go out on our own! And then we picked up poke for dinner. How's your weekend?

rabbitprincess Charlotte Diamond! I listened to her when *I* was a kid! She also does a song about the days of the week, I think. And yay, Lego Batman! 😄 (edited) 8y
Chachic I love poke! Just posted about it the other day. 8y
133 likes2 comments
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RealLifeReading
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Last night's dinner of mee rebus (a spicy noodle dish found in Singapore and Malaysia - its gravy is made of chilis, dried shrimp, mashed sweet potatoes etc for a sweet and spicy dish although mine is from a premade paste!) and a new read. #bookanddinner #backtotheclassics

Marchpane Sounds yum! 8y
minkyb Looks yummy. I want to hear what you think about the book! 8y
131 likes1 stack add2 comments
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rubyslippersreads
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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I don't think this cover of one of my favorite books was meant to be creepy--for me, the book is heartbreaking, not scary--but I find this very unsettling. #creepycovers #booktober

Zelma Yeah, that is definitely not a serene cover. 😬 8y
47 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Radiant-Reader
The Dollmaker | Harriette Arnow
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Pickpick

One of my all time faves...a real gem!!